In today's poor economy, many pet owners who can no longer afford to provide for their pets are forced to find them new homes, which is why petfood pantries around the country are becoming popular new ways to assist needy families in feeding and keeping their furry friends.
Randi Helpinstill, recently featured in the Daytona Beach News Journal, founded the Peninsula Pet Pantry with neighbor Geralyn Nelson, after her search to adopt a kitten overwhelmed her with the large number of pets displaced due to the financial hardships of their owners.
"We could not imagine the heartbreak of people having to abandon their pets due to bad economic times, and the shelters were full, the rescues had waiting lists," said Helpinstill.
Pantries like Helpinstill's and the Pikes Peak Pet Pantry of Colorado, USA, which helped her get started, are popping up in high-demand across the country. The mission of these petfood pantries is to provide temporary assistance with petfood and supplies to owners who still want to keep their pets, but currently cannot afford to care for them. Most of these pantries rely on year-round donations from others to provide petfoods and supplies. Donations to Peninsula Pet Pantry can be made by visiting the pantry's website.